The ‘420 Bill’ to Federally Legalize Marijuana Has Officially Been Introduced

A federal bill that would legalize cannabis and regulate it like alcohol was introduced in the Senate on Friday by Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon. The bill, the Marijuana Revenue and Regulation Act, has been designated as S. 420 by Wyden and is a companion measure to H.R. 420, which was introduced in the House of Representatives by fellow Oregon Democrat Rep. Earl Blumenauer last month.

A Democratic aide to the Senate Finance Committee, where Wyden is the ranking member, said that the bill aims to “responsibly legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana at the federal level,” according to media reports. Wyden said in a press release on Friday that now is the time for cannabis reform at the national level.

“The federal prohibition of marijuana is wrong, plain and simple. Too many lives have been wasted, and too many economic opportunities have been missed,” Wyden said. “It’s time Congress make the changes Oregonians and Americans across the country are demanding.”

Blumenauer agreed, noting that voters’ opinions on cannabis have changed and that their representatives in Congress should follow suit.

“Oregon has been and continues to be a leader in commonsense marijuana policies and the federal government must catch up,” said Blumenauer. “The American people have